Family matters
by Librarian29
Summary: Mr. and Mrs Barba surprise each other at an elegant restaurant!
1. Chapter 1

Detective Olivia Benson was taking her three year old twins to get new shoes on her day off. _How often these boys outgrow their clothes and shoes_, she thought. _Oh, God, I hope they don't become clothes horses like their father. I can just imagine the bills._

The boys were arguing over a toy and she was glad their car seats were on opposite sides of the SUV's back seat so they couldn't reach each other.

Her cellphone rang and Olivia activated the car's Bluetooth. It was her husband, Rafael, calling from work.

"Hey, what's up- hold on, Rafael," she said. She turned her head slightly and demanded in a stern voice, "Dan and Jamie, be quiet back there. I can't hear daddy on the phone."

She returned her attention to Rafael. "Sorry," she apologized, "You know what they're like when they miss their nap."

"Boys will be boys," he said knowingly. "You know what I'm like when I don't get enough sleep." After a moment, he added, "Liv, I've made dinner reservations, just the two of us. Mom agreed to babysit and yes, she will be staying over. I know you don't like either of us driving to the Bronx late at night."

"Fine. What's the occasion?" she asked.

"A surprise," he answered.

"Sounds great and I have a surprise, too," Olivia countered.

"Anyway," Barba continued, dismissing her statement, his mind on other matters. "Oh, gotta go – they're summoning us back into the courtroom. See you about 6:30, Liv."

Barba found a rare parking spot for his Prius down the street from the elegant, if overpriced, restaurant located in a nearby up-and-coming Brooklyn neighborhood. He'd dressed in his favorite suit and wore a tie he knew Olivia admired. Glancing in his visor mirror, he quickly brushed his fingers through his short hair. He hurried around to the passenger side and opened the car door for Olivia. He gave admiring glances to the short low-cut black dress he had urged her to buy to wear to the DA's last Christmas party.

Olivia took his hand as they walked the half block to the restaurant. They were quickly seated and perused the menu.

"What's the big surprise?" Olivia inquired, wondering what his news could be.

"Wait until we order and then I'll tell you," Barba said.

The waiter appeared, introduced himself and asked what they would like to drink.

"Johnnie Walker neat," Barba named his favorite Scotch, "and for my wife a glass of pinot..." He glanced at Olivia for approval but he was cut off.

"Just water with lemon, please." She smiled at the waiter.

Rafael gave her a puzzled look. He bit his lip the way he always did when he was considering what to say next. He reached across the table, covered her hand with his long fingers, and squeezed.

"Are you pregnant?" he asked, his eyes narrowing.

"What makes you think that?"

"Well, I've only known you to ever refuse a glass of wine when you were pregnant with the boys," he said, eyes now sparkling with amusement.

Olivia sighed. "There goes my surprise," she muttered. "What do you think about it?"

"A chance for me to get a daughter?" he teased, but when he saw the sudden dark look flash across her face, he quickly added, "another boy would be fine, too."

"It's another mouth to feed and with the big mortgage bill on the new brownstone, and daycare… we'll need my income so I'll have to return to work soon after the birth..."

"I'm thrilled. Three kids just like my parents had. Unless it's twins again?" He looked at her questioningly. They both knew how much work the twins had been and continued to be.

"Oh, God, I hope not, but it'll be a few months before we can find out. Chances are no," she said with a laugh.

"Now my news, mi querida, " Rafael said.

"Did you win Powerball?" she joked.

Barba smiled and shook his head. "I wish," he rued.

"_People _chose you for their sexiest man issue?"

He choked on his Scotch. "Not yet," he said, laughing.

"You're leaving the DA's office to become a defense attorney?" she asked doubtfully, knowing that he preferred prosecuting the bad guys to defending them.

"You're getting closer. Cutter is leaving to join a big firm and Jack McCoy asked me to be his Executive ADA."

Olivia smiled. "I'm so proud of you," she said.

Rafael beamed appreciatively.

"Is there a big salary increase?" Olivia asked.

"Considerable," he replied, "and more responsibility."

"Then let's celebrate. Shall we live dangerously and order an appetizer?" she asked.

He grinned broadly and picked up his menu to check out the choices.

Olivia leaned forward, pulled the menu out of his hands and kissed him, whispering, "By the way, you'll get your special dessert when we get home."


	2. Chapter 2

Family Matters – three years earlier

It was almost eight o'clock when ADA Rafael Barba entered his condo and walked through the living room, depositing his briefcase on a chair. He removed his jacket and loosened his pastel tie as he headed down the hall to the bedroom.

Olivia Benson groaned as she tried in vain to find a comfortable position in the queen-sized bed. The fact that she was eight months pregnant with twins made this virtually impossible.

"How are you feeling, mi querida?" Barba asked as he gently touched her shoulder.

Olivia turned her head and grabbed his hand. "How do you think I feel? I have a huge belly. I'm always uncomfortable. I pee all the time." She took a breath as she ended her rant.

"I'm sorry," said Barba as he untangled his fingers from her firm grasp.

"It's not your fault, Rafael," she replied, then hesitated. "Yes, I guess it is your fault. Twins run in your family."

"I suppose it is," he said calmly, his eyes crinkling with amusement. He hung up his jacket and tie in the closet, then sat down on the bed next to her.

Olivia started to cry. "It's the ra-ra-raging hormones," she admitted.

Barba reached over and gave her a hug. "Are you hungry?" he asked as he released her. "I could order…"

"No, I had a big lunch," she said. "Your mother stopped by to check on me. She brought you some Cuban food. I had some of it."

Barba smiled broadly. "Okay, let me check it out. I have to work on a case, but I'll come see you in a while, all right?"

"Okay," Olivia agreed.

Barba fixed a plate of his mother's offerings and poured himself a small glass of Scotch. He carried these into the dining room, opened his briefcase and withdrew witness statements from his current case. He spent some time reading and re-reading them and taking copious notes, but his thoughts were elsewhere.

He finally put his empty plate and silverware into the dishwasher and turned off the kitchen light. As he returned to the bedroom he removed his suspenders and his shirt and went over in his mind what he wanted to say to Olivia. He found her sitting up in bed reading a book about twins. She looked up at him and smiled as she closed the book and placed it on the bedside table.

"I have a proposition for you," Barba said, "or rather two propositions."

"Propositions?" she said. "You make me sound like a prostitute."

"No, no, let me begin again. Proposals, that's what I mean."

"Okay, I'm listening," she said, thinking she knew what he was about to say.

Barba bit his lip. Olivia recognized this behavior. He did it when he was having trouble deciding what he should do or say next.

"I think we should buy a house," he finally said.

"A house?" Olivia questioned, surprised. "You mean like in the suburbs with a yard and trees?" Olivia was a city girl, born and brought up in Manhattan. Living in the suburbs would feel like the wilderness to her.

"No, I mean a townhouse, a brownstone. I've seen one in Brooklyn. Not a large one, but larger than this condo and suitable for a growing family." He grinned pointing at Olivia's huge belly. "The sellers are being transferred out west and need to move almost immediately. They've already done a lot of rehab work so it's in pretty good condition and the price is fair."

"Describe it," said Olivia warming to the idea.

"Well, starting at the bottom there is a garden level with an in-law apartment: a living room, bedroom, and kitchen. There is an entrance under the main stairs and a door out to the small backyard. We could rent it out to help with the mortgage or my mom could eventually live there if she didn't want to go to one of my sisters'. The next floor has the main entrance from the street. It has a living room, dining room, kitchen and half bath. The floor above has two bedrooms and a bath. The top floor has a master suite: bedroom and bath. And the best part, there is a huge walk-in closet with built in drawers."

He seemed especially animated describing this last feature, Olivia thought. She gave a knowing look to this fashionable man who had more clothes than she did.

"There is also a separate den I could use as an office," he continued.

"So you've been there and had a tour?" she asked.

"My mom found out about it from one of her realtor friends and made me go with her. I didn't want to mention it to you until I saw it. With the sale of this condo and both our salaries, I think we could swing it."

"That sounds promising. And you're right about this place. It's fine for two people, but with two babies, it will be tough. Are there photos of it online? Not that I don't trust you and your mom's judgment.

Barba nodded, relieved that Olivia seemed to approve his choice.

What's the other proposal?" she asked.

"Do you think we should get married?" he blurted out.

"Wow, isn't that a romantic proposal!" she said with a laugh. They had never really discussed marriage, but recently she had begun thinking about it. And Rafael must be leaning in the same direction.

"That's not what I meant to say," he nervously apologized. He took her hand and knelt down on one knee next to the bed. "Sergeant Olivia Benson, will you do me the honor of becoming my wife?"

She tried not to laugh and embarrass him. This usually stylish and professional prosecutor was looking so serious kneeling in his undershirt.

"What makes you bring up marriage now?" she asked gazing into his deep green eyes.

"There's legal reasons, of course," he said, "but I love you and I do want to spend my life with you and our future kids." He patted her stomach.

"Are you opposed to marriage?" he asked, knowing she had no experience with marriage in her family. She was brought up by a single mother and never knew her father. He got up from his kneeling position and sat on the edge of the bed. He put his arm around Olivia.

"You know I love you, too. I'm not against marriage and yes, I will marry you, Rafael, but on one condition. I don't want a big wedding. Maybe just 8 or 9 close friends. Do you think we can find a judge willing to do the honors? And it needs to be soon- before the twins are born."

The next morning Rafael walked into bedroom fully dressed and ready for work. He finished eating a leftover fried plaintain, then touched Olivia's shoulder.

"Liv," he said softly. She turned over and opened her eyes. It was almost ten o'clock and Rafael had not yet left for his office. She sat up in bed and accepted the mug of tea Barba offered her.

"I've been busy this morning- I've set up an appointment for us to see the brownstone together at one. Then we can go to city hall to get a marriage license, that is if you have your birth certificate handy. Mom is bringing mine. If we have time we can go shopping to get you a maternity dress for the wedding. When I get to my office I'll check the list of judges and see if I can find one we both like who'll be willing to perform the ceremony. Meanwhile do you want to start making a list of friends you'd like to invite and also decide on a witness? How does that sound? Oh, we should probably make a reservation at a restaurant to host a small reception after the ceremony. Any suggestions?" He finally took a deep breath and looked expectantly at Olivia.

"Boy, you have been busy," Olivia said. "I always knew you were organized, but…" she trailed off.

"All right, I'll be back to pick you up at noon, okay?" Rafael leaned over and kissed her. As he started to move away she put down her mug, reached up, her hands on either side of his face. She touched his damp hair and pulled him close to her face.

"Thank you," she whispered.


End file.
